President of the United States Barack Obama used the the annual National Prayer Breakfast to reiterate his appeal to the Republicans and to the American people to begin cooperation with him.

Obama surprised the people at the breakfast including other ministers both American and foreign. He said “You can question my policies without questioning my faith,” he said, adding a sly aside, “or, for that matter, my citizenship.”

He continued by saying “Progress does not come when we demonize opponents. It’s not borne in righteous spite,”.

It was a rare nod to conservative foes who continue to question whether he is Muslim or even was born in the U.S. and is entitled to the presidency.

Since last week’s State of the Union address, Obama has not missed an opportunity to paint Washington as a cesspit of vicious partisanship and disfunction, challenging his own party at times, but usually placing responsibility on Republicans, whose lockstep opposition has made even a 59-seat majority in the Senate appear to be an insurmountable obstacle.

Massachusetts’ newly elected Republican senator, Scott Brown, officially takes his seat today, ending a 60-vote Democratic supermajority that failed to build the president’s vaunted New Foundation –- final legislation creating near-universal health care coverage, reregulating Wall Street, placing a price on carbon emissions and expanding access to higher education.

As of this afternoon, Democrats will have no choice but to win Republican cooperation, by bullying or cajoling. For now, the president’s weapon of choice appears to be guilt.

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